Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon Caper Pasta

Pan seared scallops with lemon caper pasta is a gourmet recipe for any occasion! Light angel hair pasta is tossed with a citrus white wine sauce and tomatoes. This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #thetalkofthetable #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

The holiday season is here which means more great meals enjoyed with the people you love! Are you looking for a meal that will delight any day of the week, or to share with others for a special occasion? A dish that’s always a winner with my family and friends is a comforting plate of Italian pasta, but I like to add a more gourmet twist.

Pan seared scallops with lemon caper sauce will wow any hungry guests at your dinner table. Not to worry, it’s straightforward and effortless to recreate, plus I’ve got a special ingredient that takes the flavors to the next level!

There are two essential ingredients in this pan seared scallops and lemon caper pasta recipe that makes it so irresistible, the pasta and wine!

I wanted to make this dish light, flavorful and bright. Barilla Angel Hair Pasta adds great tasting, high quality and wholesome, tender pasta to the dish. The thin pasta does an excellent job of absorbing and getting coated with the lemon caper sauce to infuse the flavors into each delicious forkful!

Hey, there wine lovers! I know you traditionally think of enjoying a nice glass wine to pair with your meal, but the flavors of wine can add some beautiful notes to your cooking as well. For the lemon caper sauce, I used Clos du Bois Chardonnay as my secret ingredient to make the taste pop!

If you’ve ever been wine tasting, you’ve experienced that each wine has its unique character. This Clos du Bois Chardonnay is bright and refreshing, with lots of fruit forward notes of ripe apple, pear, and sweet lemon drop.

The French style of winemaking under the warm California sun also provides toasty oak, vanilla bean, spice and butter notes. As you can imagine, all of these complex flavors get infused into the sauce and complements the caramelized scallops like a dream.

Whenever I want to create a special dish, scallops are on top of my list. It adds an element of elegance to the recipe, and it’s very simple to prepare.

Tips for Caramelizing and Cooking Scallops:

• Dry: The trick to achieving a golden brown crust on scallops is making sure both sides are very dry. Use a paper towel to soak up any moisture before salting and adding to the pan. Any excess moisture will cause the scallops to steam instead of sear.
• Keep it hot!: A smoking hot pan and scorching oil are going to give a dark caramelized color on the scallops. Don’t move the scallops until you are ready to flip. They will brown and release from the pan on its own. I use a stainless steel pan to get a more attractive surface.
• Time: Scallops cook very quickly, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Keep a close eye so that you get a tender, buttery texture from the scallops, not tough and rubbery.

The caramelized scallops have a nice golden brown crust and a very mild sweet flavor. The delicate seafood and light angel hair pasta are an excellent pair. If you are looking for other ways to enjoy seafood, try my scallops with roasted red pepper sauce recipe!

Now that you’ve got beautifully caramelized scallops and lemon caper pasta to bring to the table don’t forget to pour a glass of chardonnay! Not only do you have the versatility to cook with the wine, but you also get to sit back and enjoy each delicious sip with your meal.

It’s hard not to devour this entire plate of pasta! The delicate angel hair pasta tossed in the fresh, savory and tangy lemon caper white wine sauce and herbs is something you can just eat all on its own. The fresh seafood and light pasta is sure to please for any low key or more fancy occasion!

What other pasta and wine pairings have you tried? Do you cook with wine often? I would love to hear your marvelous creations in the comments section.

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Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon Caper Pasta

Pan seared scallops with lemon caper pasta is a gourmet recipe for any occasion! Light angel hair pasta is tossed in a citrus white wine sauce and tomatoes.

Votes: 17
Rating: 4.06
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Rate this recipe!

Course

Entree

Cuisine

Italian

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Servings

servings US ImperialMetric

Course Entree Cuisine Italian Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Servings servings US ImperialMetric

Votes: 17 Rating: 4.06 You: Rate this recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 pound scallops jumbo size (about 20 pieces, 1-inch wide)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• kosher salt for seasoning
• black pepper freshly ground, for seasoning
• 1/2 pound angel hair pasta Barilla
• 3 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup chardonnay wine Clos du Bois
• 1 cup chicken broth low sodium or unsalted
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus zest from one lemon
• 2 tablespoons capers rinsed
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• 1 cup baby tomatoes sliced in half
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Scallops-

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a stainless steel frying pan until the oil ripples and begins to smoke. Dry the scallops very well with a piece of paper towel. Season both sides with salt. Add scallops to a hot pan without crowding. Cook the scallops without moving them, until the bottoms are a rich golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add one tablespoon of butter to the pan. Turn the scallops and caramelize the second side, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat but do not discard the pan. Transfer to a clean plate and lightly season with freshly ground black pepper. Lightly cover to keep warm while making the pasta.

Lemon Caper Pasta

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In the meanwhile make the lemon caper sauce.
2. In the same pan used to cook the scallops, turn heat to medium and add one tablespoon of butter and garlic. Stir and cook garlic for about 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned. Increase the heat to medium-high and add 1/2 cup white wine. Simmer, stirring as needed until the wine is reduced by half and you can no longer smell the alcohol, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers, turn heat to high. Cook until sauce is reduced by half (1/2 cup) about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off heat and add one tablespoon of butter, and whisk to combine. Taste sauce, season with salt and pepper as needed.
3. Cook angel hair pasta in boiling water about 4 minutes until al dente, 5 minutes for more tender pasta. Drain pasta and add to the sauce. Add parsley and toss to combine. Add sliced tomatoes and gently mix. Season pasta with salt and pepper as desired.
4. Evenly divide the pasta amounts serving dishes. Top with scallops and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

This recipe serves 4 smaller portions or 2 large portions for a hungrier crowd.